Baseball game apparatus



J. Q. BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed March 16. 1927' Egip JOHN C. FENNLESSYyOF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

EIQSEEBALL GAME AEPARAT'US.

Application filed lrZi-lrch 16, 1927', Serial No. 175,844.

This invention relates togai'nc devices and in particular to base ball game device adapted to be operated by a number of players.

A particular objectof the invention isio provide base ball game device in which the ball may bepitchcd or projected in a variety of directions and thus provide a difficulty for the manipulator of the batting device.

;A still further objectof the invention isto provide a batting device in combination with a game of this character which may be perated transversely of the home plate and I which may be released at the will of the operator to bat a-projected ball.

A still further particular object of the invention is to provide movable wickets or like members "which may be manipulated so that shey will be placed in the path of the ball to constitute a fly out.

To enable others sitilled in the art to fully comprehend underlying features of my invention that they may embody the same in the various modifications in structu and re lation contemplated, drawing depicting a preferred form has been annexed as a. part of this disclosure and in such drawin nu similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing my ame device laid outin the nature of a baseball diamond and a part thereof being broken away to show a movable wicket.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 sl'iowing the ball projecting device.

Figure 3' is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 and shows the connection of the ball projecting lever with the volving block in which they are held.

/ Figure 4 is a view in rear elevation of the ball batting device and strike marking boundary;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail view in section, taken on the line 55 of Figure 4 showj bug the construction of the battingdevice and how the same is drawn up to its positionpreparatory to striking a projected ball.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view in perspective of one of the wickets used'to catch a batted ball.

Referring-to the drawings in detail, 5 indicates the box or frame which is provided with a baseboard 6, thesame being slotted transversely, adjacent one end as at 7 to receive the upstanding wicket members 8, which are made from a/piece of loop wire,

secured at its lower end in-a slide 9 which is disposed in the groove 7 and 1S provlded with a projecting handle portion 10 having formed on the end thereof, a finger piece 11.

This projected portion 10 extends througha suitable slotin' the end wall 12 of the box membero and the finger piece 11 is disposed exteriorly of the box end 12 whereby the Wicket or loop 8, of which there are two, may be operated transversely of the box to be placed in the path of a ball projected from the batting device, the wickets being of course, operated by the players of the game.

Below the slot '13 formed in the end wall 12 of the game receptacle, is aslot 1% through which projects the ball thrower rod 15, the inner end of which passes through a suitable bore 16 in a revolvably mounted holder 17, the rod 15 being provided with a suitable opening 16 through which projects the lower end of the ball projecting'lever 17, which is pivoted as at 18 in the holder 17 and extends above the baseboard 6, and being curved at its upper end. as at 19 to form a ball seat, the ball 20 being projected thereby to adjacent the under side of the baseboard 6,

as shown in Figure 8. Through the medium of this construction, the holder 17 is freely revolvable in the opening A-l in. the baseboard and thus the projector 17 nlay be so manipu lated as to throw the ball 20 in any desired direction toward the home plate'2l. In order that the projected ball may be struck, I have provided a striker 26, which consists of the post member 27, suitably positioned beside and adjacent the home plate 21. At the rearof the hoine plate 21, the baseboard is provided with pennant bearing stalls 28, which indicate the limitof the/strike zone, it: being, of course, understood when a ball is projected and not struck, but passes bet-ween the two pennants 28, that it is regarded as a strike.

The batting device further consists of the horizontal supporting rods 29 which are carried by the'standards 27 and carry the bat. operating member 30, the same consistill) ingot a block-like member which is slidably-"held on the rods 29 and carries atits lower end, the 'staple 31 to which is pivotally secured the ball striking bat 32. This bat 32 is provided at its free end with a slot 33v into which engages a hook 34 carried by the revolvable rod 35, thehook carrying portion 36 being square and being suitably secured to the rod 35 so that the bat carrying member may be moved longitudinally of therods 29 and a turning move ment of the .rod 35 through the medium of the hand piece 36 carried at the outer end thereof will rsult in the upward movement of tliehook 34 to disengage the bat 32 so that the spring 37, positioned therebehind will cause a forward, swinging movement of the bat and astriking of the ball as in the regular game? The spring 37 may be of any desired shape but I- prefer to make \use of a piece of spring steel secured to the lower end? of the bat holding member in any suitable manner and so arranged that its free end engages the upper portion of 25 the batand causes quick throw thereof about its pivot point 31 to strike a ball rolled thereunder. I

It is evident, therefore, that a ball projected from the ball projecting device may 39 be struck at from various positions, depending upon the judgment of the player manipulating the ball strikingidevice. ,Thebaseboard 6 may be covered with any suitable material, such as felt and may be ruled to 5 provide a zone 38 in which, if a ball lands tairly, a first base hit is recorded. The -ZOZ18S 39, 40 and 41 give the player a second base, third base or home run hit, as the case may be, but if the opposite player or the one manipulating the ball throwing device and wickets 8 manages to place one of the wickets in the path of the batted ball and the ball passes therethrough into the gutter or trough 41, it is considered a caught fly and the batter isout.

0n the baseboard may be laid out, in the usual manner, a baseball-diamond, consisting of home plate, first, second and third base and also arranged to provide a foul line, as in the regular baseball field. In order to make the game'more effective, I have provided meta lic figures of players which ma be positioned as in the regular baseball game and these figures may be used as base runners to advance from oneb'ase to another during the play and may be of various colors 'to represent two opposing teams.

its far as practicable, the general rules oi baseball will be followed, such as three strikes out, four balls take base, batter hit by a pitched ball takes the base and the rest of the rules. I have promulgated-special. rules in connection with my device so that if the ball crosses the line between the markers back of home plate, it ,is-con the ball must pass through the outfield loop or wicket. If the ball travels down the field without interference and is caught by the outfielder,

that is, the outfield wicket, the batter is out but the base runners may advance one base. If a ball rebounds from thc'wall and is caught by the outfielder, it is-a single but the base runners may advance two bases. If the outfielder wicket fumbles the ball,

that is, ii the ball does not {passthrough the wicket, the zone in which the ball comes to rest will determine the number of bases allowed the batter. In all other cases, the

'base runners may advance as mauv bases as the batter is allowed. 1

It is evident, therefore, that in the playinglof my improved baseball game, skill is not on-1y requiredby the opposing players but accuracy, close attention and skillfulness must also be brought into play in order'that the ball may be projected properly within the bounds of the pennants and the person manipulating the batting device mhstalso be on the alert to strike the projected ball, which is governed by the opposite player. In this way, a number of players may form sides and may play the game substantially as it is played outdoors and may have all of the thrills and excitement as is attendant in the regular outdoor baseball game' It is evident, also, that I have provided an interesting and: amusing device which will-not only properly; teach the proper play ingot the game but also call for a higher degree of skill than has heretofore been necessary in the playing of such games.

XVhile I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity,

I realize that in practice ,various alterations therein may be made. I thereforereserve ythe right and privilege ofchanging the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spiritot the invention-or the scope of the appended claims.

llO

Having thus described my invention what 1 States Letters Patent is 1. A baseball game device comprising a. baseboard marked to represent a baseball diamond, a ballpagoiector, a batting mem ber, means operated by the players "for I claim as new and desire to secure by United manipulating the'projector and batting vices and manually operated wicket members, arranged to be moved transversely of said baseboard to be positioned in the path of :1 projected ball.

2. A baseball game device comprising a baseboard laid out to simulate a baseball diamond, a ball pitching lever in which the ball is seated and by which it may be projected through a trajectory, aball batting device, movable transversely of the home plate and means for operating the batting device to strike at a pitched ball at any point in the transverse movement of said batting device.

3. A. baseball game device comprising a baseboard laid out to simulate a baseball diamond, a revolvable ball pitching device, means for aiming the device toward the home plate, a bat, a bat holder movable transversely of the home plate and means for operating the bat to strike downwardly at a pitched ball at any point in the transverse movement of said bat holder.

4. A baseball game device comprising a baseboard having a groove therein, laid out to simulate'a baseball diamond, a revolvable ball pitching device means for aiming the device toward the home plate, a ball batting device movable transversely of home plate, means for operating the batting device to strike at a pitched ball at any point in the transversemovement of said battin device and wicket members operable in sai' groove to the bat when the same is released.

6; A baseball game device comprisin a baseboard having marked thereon a baseball field and having an opening therein at the pitchers position, a holder, means for revolvably retaining the holder in the opening,

a ball projecting lever pivotally operable in said holder and an operating lever manlpula-ted from the exterior edge of, the baseboard extending through said holder and arranged to revolve theholder and engage said ball projector whereby the ball can be thrown toward the home plate from any selected angle, and a plurality. of wicket members operable transversely of the baseboard and arranged to be positioned'so that a projected ball can pass therethrough.

In testimony whereof I afiixvmy signatures JOHNJC. FENNESSYihe i 

